Fresh faces set for QClash

Gold Coast SUNS veteran Jarrod Harbrow will stand alone as the King of the QClash after Sunday’s visit to the Gabba for the 15th Queensland football derby against the Brisbane Lions.

Harbrow will play his 14th QClash, and will move one ahead of ex-Lions captain Tom Rockliff at the top of the QClash games leader board.

The only QClash the 29-year-old SUNS flyer has missed was Round 1 last year, when he played in the NEAFL following a delayed start to his campaign due to injury.

Next best among SUNS players on the list at 12 games is the injured Pearce Hanley, who is the only person among 149 QClash combatants to have played with both clubs in the Queensland derby.

The SUNS, hoping to improve on an aggregate 5-9 QClash record, including a 2-6 success-rate at the Gabba, are set to give four players their first taste of QClash football.

Heading this list is 2018 recruit Lachie Weller, who grew up on the Gold Coast watching matches between the two Queensland clubs, including QClash #2 and QClash #4 in which older brother Maverick played for the SUNS.

Aaron Young, Brayden Fiorini and Nick Holman are also set for their first QClash, along with coach Stuart Dew, who takes the reins after Dean Solomon, his 2018 senior assistant-coach, did the job in the last QClash last year.

It was the first of three games in which Solomon was in charge after Rodney Eade split with the club.

Subject to final selection, Brisbane are set to play six QClash debutants – Luke Hodge, Charlie Cameron, Cameron Rayner, Jacob Berry, Alex Witherden and Zac Bailey.

Hodge, who will be 33 years 312 days old on Sunday, will become the oldest player to play in a QClash, surpassing former Lions pair Ben Hudson and Simon Black. Both were 33 in their final match against the Suns in 2012.